Excitement and nerves filled every corner of ESPOL’s STEM Building on the morning of September 18. The comings and goings began early: hallways crowded with parents, guests, and of course, students polishing their speeches, checking their PowerPoint slides, and throwing last-minute questions at their mentors. It was no ordinary day—it was the final round of the 5-Minute Pitch II PAO 2025, part of the nineteenth edition of the Idear Fair, where ten teams had just five minutes to give it their all.
The stage was set. The first teams stepped forward with racing hearts, well aware that condensing months of work into such a brief window—without getting overly technical—was almost a titanic task. Some proposals focused on social impact, others on bold technological innovation, and a few on environmental solutions. But they all shared one thing: the hope of convincing the judges and leaving a mark.
The winning moment came with Electrical Engineering students Jorge Hallon Velasco and José Ochoa Chucuyan, guided by their mentor, Jocelyne Salgado. Their project, “Comparative Evaluation of Two Photovoltaic Technologies for Optimal Load Management of FIEC Building 11A,” captivated the audience—not just for the solar panels used as visual props, but for the confidence and clarity with which they delivered their pitch. More than explaining, they truly “sold” their idea, drawing nods of approval and making it clear their proposal was ready for the next step.
The wait for the verdict felt long. After the morning presentations, the results were not announced until after 4 p.m., keeping the finalists on edge. Between quiet conversations and small bursts of laughter, tension mingled with camaraderie: everyone knew that making it to the final round was already an achievement. And as FIEC Dean Jorge Aragundi said during the event’s welcome remarks, they were all winners. He also thanked the integrative course instructors and the mentors for their invaluable support.
The day also recognized those who stood behind the students—the mentors—honoring their constant guidance. Names like Danny Torres, Néstor Arreaga, Juan Carlos Avilés, Miguel Alberto Torres, Miguel Yapur, Alexander Prieto, Jocelyne Salgado, and Jorge Magallanes were called to the front, receiving heartfelt applause.
In the afternoon, the fair continued at the Library Information Center near the Rectorate, where the projects were displayed as posters before invited industry representatives. A new feature made its debut as well: an award for the cycle’s three best posters, offering yet another showcase for young FIEC talent.
Awards and Recognitions
The winners didn’t just receive praise from the judges and applause from the audience. Courtesy of FIEC Graduate Studies, Jorge Hallon and José Ochoa were awarded $300 in professional courses—an incentive that will help them strengthen their skills and further develop their project with confidence.
The poster exhibition also had its own stars. Computer Science students Tommy Burgos Calle and Paula Peralta earned first place in the poster category across all of ESPOL, while Telecommunications students José Briones and Paul Plúa secured third place, demonstrating that polytechnic talent shines across formats and fields of knowledge.
